Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

So happy to see your 2cents added here @CntryBoy777 . I appreciate all who regularly post, but have missed your comments too. Yeah, trying to simplify a little, but just wanting to have some "absolute control" over things that I have skirted around here, that seems to get worse every year. The landlord nearly cutting down my peach trees and then saying that I could maybe pay his son to cut my lawn with MY mower, because he doesn't make enough to make a real living and the landlord has to help him pay his bills..... NOT MY PROBLEM..... I was going to offer to pay his son to mow the lawn, while he was here mowing the rest of the area around the barns and all, with the fathers mower..... until the father (landlord) came over and made the remarks to me while I was sitting on the tailgate, enjoying a little sun and keeping my ankle/foot up, while I was packing samples that day Plus they only mow the part in the front where you can see it from the road.... All about appearances..... all the while that the house needs some work and it took him nearly 6 months to get the sections of the tin roof replaced that had blown off..... doesn't matter, I am not going to be here through another winter come he// or high water.

 

[Mike CHS]

You definitely need to leave that place.

 

[Baymule]

When you get enough, you've had enough. Time to go.

 

[farmerjan]

So happy to see your 2cents added here @CntryBoy777 . I appreciate all who regularly post, but have missed your comments too. Yeah, trying to simplify a little, but just wanting to have some "absolute control" over things that I have skirted around here, that seems to get worse every year. The landlord nearly cutting down my peach trees and then saying that I could maybe pay his son to cut my lawn with MY mower, because he doesn't make enough to make a real living and the landlord has to help him pay his bills..... NOT MY PROBLEM..... I was going to offer to pay his son to mow the lawn, while he was here mowing the rest of the area around the barns and all, with the fathers mower..... until the father (landlord) came over and made the remarks to me while I was sitting on the tailgate, enjoying a little sun and keeping my ankle/foot up, while I was packing samples that day Plus they only mow the part in the front where you can see it from the road.... All about appearances..... all the while that the house needs some work and it took him nearly 6 months to get the sections of the tin roof replaced that had blown off..... doesn't matter, I am not going to be here through another winter come he// or high water.

The missing tin was on the front porch roof......not the main house. But the house roof leaks and I can't even go see where because he took the stairs out that go to the second floor, before I moved in, because someone might fall down them and sue him?????? It was a good place to come to at the time but has continued to get less attractive.....

 

[farmerjan]

You definitely need to leave that place.

YEP !!!!

 

[farmerjan]

When you get enough, you've had enough. Time to go.

Had enough, past time to go.

 

[CntryBoy777]

I totally agree and understand, and certainly know the feeling.... ...much of the reason we left where we were and came here...I absolutely refused to pay rent on the mobile home that I paid for.......and the BS would continue to build til I blew a fuse and left anyway....we are so much better off here paying a note and having peace of mind....I won't lie, it is a struggle....but, it's been that way my whole life....I even hate to get $$ now...cause I know something is coming along to take it.......we really can't complain cause it usually all works out and no need to sweat it....it is a shame so many these days are oblivious to others and don't have the decency to appreciate the good people around them and help them out...way too many are out for a $ and themselves with no thought for those right infront of them....and certainly won't even consider doing for nothing....tho, I can certainly attest that there are Some left in the world....cause I still owe a few right here on this site........I can't repay them, but will Never forget them.....

 

[farmerjan]

Okay.... here's the latest....
Went to see the house today. Met 2 of the 3 sisters there, one I know and the other I have talked to a couple times ( the one that actually lives across the road and married to the guy we rent the pasture and hayfield from)., and her husband. The house is still decent, the rooms downstairs need a good cleaning, one has a nice wood floor that needs sanding and refinishing. Bathroom needs a new tub/shower. There's a LR, DR, Kitchen, bathroom, utility type room that was a "summer kitchen" with the washer/dryer, bedroom; on the first floor. 2 bedrooms upstairs.... both have some ceiling damage from some roof leaks that have been repaired and not a problem for years but the mother lived in the downstairs so it was left as is. Also a "lower roof" walk in attic storage.... I could walk in it but doubt it is 6 ft.
Needs painting of course, and if the shower/tub unit was replaced, and the sink in the utility room fixed ( old metal drainpipe is rotten underneath) which would be good for general cleanup... probably a couple grand to put the downstairs to rights. It has all newer windows - replaced the old wood sashes and they are combination with storms so that is good. Metal siding, over wood siding, so somewhat insulated. 2 rooms have sheetrock replaced the old plaster. Some new wiring but it would not meet code in other rooms. Built in early 1900's, and kitchen and LR redone in 70's and 80's and bath put in then too.
There will be about 1 3/4 acres with it. They want to square it off as the property will be a very big triangle with over 1,000 ft frontage between the 2 roads. Alot of traffic on the paved road but I knew that. they want to draw a straight line down the side along the Christmas tree farm lot , down to where it meets the dirt road. Actually gives alot of useable property. There is also a small wood deck off the kitchen area, open. that is nice enough but doesn't make a difference to me. A large metal "carport" next to the house for parking a vehicle and some storage... like the mower. Not closed in but I think that I would close in at least the end and one side.

The county requires a 2 acre minimum for a lot, but since this has an existing house and not looking to build, and with the shape of the property, they think they could get a variance and I honestly don't see why not.
Has a well and septic.
Baseboard hot water heat, oil furnace & hot water tank in crawl space under house. No basement.

Lots of kitchen cabinets, which is good and bad because I have some nice pine freestanding cupboards that I will be taking with me from here, (mine) that I would like to be able to use. One was made specifically with adjustable shelves to be able to have lots of short shelves for my cooking spices and stuff..... Hated when they get crammed back in a cabinet and you can't find them. I think that I could put one or two in the DR????

Wonder if the "attic" could have a 2nd bathroom put up there... even a 1/2 bath???? and make the downstairs BR back into a parlor or "family room????? Possiblility....

Roof is pretty good, "tin" and could use a coat of paint but not in bad shape.

They have no idea of what it could be worth, would like to get someone there to do an appraisal. They said they wanted to get someone impartial, not a friend, and I suggested that the people we rent from across the road, that he is a real estate agent, and that he might be able to do it. That I would trust him to be impartial if they wanted, or if they knew someone else that would be fine. I was trying to see if they had a ball park figure, but they didn't seem to. I again told them that I had talked to Barbara, friend from the P.O. , and her husbands' parents' place, there about 5 miles away.... nice house on 1 acre that they had been trying to sell for 70,000 and nothing.... they since redid the kitchen, needed a new floor and some joists replaced and they put some new cabinets in...... (but it is in "nicer shape" inside than this house) (no I didn't say that.... just that it was pretty much move in ready).....that's where it is steeper ground but it has been kept up nice outside too.
I said I would like to have Michael look at it too and they said sure, just let them know so they could open it (it is locked which is fine)

Talked to my son and suggested that he just call David and see if he could stop on his way home from work one afternoon so we didn't have to co-ordinate a time with him and me and them and then he and I could just talk it over. I think it will work if they don't want too much for it.
I asked if they wanted to sell outright, do a lease purchase, or hold the mortgage. They brought up that there are some things that would not meet current code ( like the electric in some of the rooms.... nowadays there have to be outlets every so many feet and the upstairs banister is too low, among other things). I said that I could give them a fair down payment taking money out of my retirement account..... which is what I sorta planned to do.... but that it might not meet some bank requirements for a mortgage due to the needing some upgrades..... They said they would talk it over and they have to see what is required for getting a variance for the lot size as that will affect the appraisal too.

My son and I talked like it ought to be worth somewhere in the ball park of 75,000; definitely under 100,000. I would like it to be in the 60-70,000 range, considering the work it needs inside. We figure about 20,000 an acre x 2 acres, since there is already a well and septic on it..... so 40,000 for the land and maybe 35,000 +/- for the house?

They said they don't want to continue to pay taxes on it, and that it needs to have "something done" because it is just sitting.... They are my age, the one sister was born the same year as me. One sister is diabetic, and she looks like her health is getting worse. My son has some of his sheep at her and her husbands place.....rented it for years. They said that they have thought about renting it and then didn't want to have to deal with someone who would tear it up. They don't want to just sell it to "just anyone" because you never know what kind of people you would get in there as neighbors. I joked and said that I wouldn't be having any drinking or drug parties..... They want to continue to operate the Christmas tree farm, which is great. There are some BIG pines between it and the CT farm for privacy..... and I would definitely see about putting up fence to keep the chickens in off the roads and maybe some of the stockade type privacy fence.....

So that's the story so far. Hope they can come up with some sort of a ball park figure so I can see if it would be doable. Son said to figure 500 payment for every 100,000 of mortgage as a very general figure.... So what I am paying in rent would more than cover the mtg payment. Rates are very low right now, and probably will stay that way for at least 6 months to a year while we get all things sorted out from the lockdowns and the C-virus mess. So that is in my favor. Hey if they would consider holding the mtg., I could give them more than the going interest rate, and not have to deal with a bank at all.... even for a few years. Yes I would have to have insurance, and taxes to pay, but can't imagine the taxes are that much. I ought to see if I can find out what it is appraised for at the county for taxes now. That would give me a very rough idea of value. But it might be lumped in with the CT farm, but the house should have some value I guess.....

 

[farmerjan]

Going to go to the farm, that I tested on Friday, tomorrow morning before I go test.... so that he can get the computer work done, since he dropped his computer and wrecked the screen on Friday. He had entered most of the info in his computer and then we couldn't even transfer it to mine because we couldn't see the screen to do the necessary transfer to a jump drive.. I can't send the samples because I need to have a list to put the samples in order and it is too hard to go through 200+ samples and try to get them in order with no"guide". At least with the "racking list" I can put samples in the boxes and since there are 60 to a box, I can much more easily just see where the samples go and not have to try to put them all in numerically when I have no "starting point". If they were numbered from 1-200 it would be different, but they have all sorts of numbers..... some of the cows he leases have 5 numbers, like #20220, and there are some that are as low as #10. Take me hours to try to get them right. At least with the list, I can see where in the box they go and not have to keep rearranging them. Plus there are a couple of duplicates that he has to figure out who they are....

Then from there, I will go test another 200 cow herd that Geneva is going to come help me with. Have to be there about 1pm so we can set up the meters to start milking at 2pm. They milk fairly fast so will be done by 5:30 and then I will have to do the computer work to enter milk weights, and the meters will be going through the wash cycle and I should be able to be on the way home by 7. Still will be a long day....

Weather was okay, some showers early then cleared off and nice afternoon, hit nearly 70, I think with sun.

 

[Mini Horses]

Real property tax valuation & assessments are public record, so you can find out what the county uses to estimate the taxes. It would help to know, when figures begin to be tossed out there.
With address you can probably look it up on County website.

Sounds like it would be a "doable" house for you. Of course, the old farm houses have their issues -- like the code requirements. If you ultimately come to agreeable "terms", I'd consider a termite inspection & even a good home inspection as a FYI -- unless your DS can do the 'home inspection" pretty well. It's always best to know all you can up front. LOL. Especially the plumbing throughout, crawl spaces, stability, all that. If old pipes, are there issues, like rotted, plugged, leaks, etc. (can do pressure testing) It all affects the price. Electrical, not just plugs & wire but, the panel box -- condition and enough size to handle all the newer needs for A/C, stoves, and such. A lender would require all of this for a loan. I know you are giving thought to all of these things, as are the sellers. I believe it's all negotiable at this point & they have considered pro/con, knowing it's a "less than perfect, gonna cost them something."

Now, you are in a short wait pattern. Has DS had any verbal input for you -- other than the mortgage input -- like if he thinks it's a good move, etc?